Automatic air valve for stokers



Nov. 11, 1941. M. HUBER 2,262,631

AUTOMATIC AIR VALVE FOR STOKERS Filed D90. '19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet ,1

I Invento;

M/CHAEL HUBER,

A itomey;

M. HUBER AUTOMATIC AIR VALVE FOR STOKERS Nov. 11, 1941.

Filed Dec. 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A itorneys Nov. 11, 1941. M. HUBERAUTOMATIC AIR VALVE FOR STOKERS' Filed Dec. 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ai i J a 7 I W w m? pfiw 7 3 Z 9 G 4 721 8 M my 2 A M M K I L i W.iij/iix v. 5% ;3 3; Em: K% ZZEZZ Z sq R. M R 3 Mia MY WwV InventorM/CH/IEL HUBER,

A iiomeys Patented Nov. 11, 1941 AUTOMATIC AIR VALVE FOR STOKERS MichaelHuber, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor of onehalf to Lawrence R. Schmieder,Cincinnati,

Ohio

Application December 19, 1939, Serial No.310,054

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic air valve for stokers, and hasfor the primary object the provision of a durable, dependable andcontrollable device of the above stated character which may be readilyadapted to most any type of stoker now in use for regulating the amountof air necessary for a complete and steady combustion of any kind ofsolid fuel and which will automatically close and thereby shut ofi draftto the furnace during idle periods of the blower of the stoker, andwhich may be easily adjusted to vary the amount of air the blower isallowed to expel as forced draft for the fuel and may be easily adjustedto permit the blower to receive a full amount of air at any time it isdeemed necessary to have a full amount of forced draft to the burningfuel.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described an claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a front elevation illustrating an automatic air valve and showing thelatter applied to a fragmentary portion of a stoker.

Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectionalviewillustrating the automatic means for closing the valve and theadjustment of said means.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating a modification ofthis invention.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9--9 of Figure 7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates afragmentary portion of a stoker in which is employed the usual blower(not shown). The housing for the blower is indicated generally by thecharacter 6 and the air opening for the blower in the housing isindicated by the character 8. The present invention is so constructedthat it may be readily adapted to the housing over the air opening 8 forthe purpose of controlling the amount of air to the blower and forautomatically closing the opening 8 when the blower ceases to operate.It is to be understood that the present invention is opened under thesuction of the blower and is self-closing whenever the operation of theblower of the stoker is stopped which will close natural draft to thefurnace with which the stoker is employed.

A valve housing 9 consisting of an annular body I!) is provided atoneend with an attaching flange H provided with openings to receive studbolts or like fasteners for rigidly mounting the valve housing onto thehousing 6 of the stoker 5. It is preferable that the flange ll beconstructed of large size which will permit the flange to be adapted tovarious stoker housings in which the draft openings thereof vary as tosize, it being understood that when the flange H has been adjusted orsecured on a stoker housing the surplus portions of the flange may bereadily sawed off to give a neat and attractive appearance to thedevice, as shown at I2.

Attaching lugs 13 are formed integrally with the body l0 adjacent theend thereof opposite to the flange H and are located on the interior ofthe body and are provided with screw threaded openings to receive boltsI4 having finger pieces IE to facilitate the rotation of the bolts. Thebolts are employed for detachably securing on the latter-named end ofthe body an end plate I6 having a centrally arranged opening ll aligningwith the draft opening 8. The bolts l4 extend through openings providedin the end plate Hi.

It is to be noted that the lugs l3 are oppositely arranged on the bodyconsequently bringing about securing of the end plate on the body atopposite sides of the latter.

The end plate l6 about the opening I1 is extended inwardly in thedirection of the body for the purpose of forming a valve seat I8 andcoacting therewith is a valve element [9 including a disc-like portion26 to engage with the seat for closing the opening H and a stem 2|. Theend plate 16 further includes a supporting bar 22 which spans theopening I! and is provided with a screw threaded opening throughwhich'the stem 2| passes freely. The disc 20 is detachably secured onthe stem 2! by being positioned between a pair of clamping plates 23,one of which is slightly larger in diameter than the other and isprovided with a recess 24 while the other is pro-t vided with aprojection 25 which extends through an opening in the disc and has thestem 2| extending therethrough. A nut 26 is threaded on the stem andbears against one of the plates 23 the other of the plates beingthreaded on the stem iconsequently firmly anchoring the disc on the stemand providing a connection between these parts which will tend toprevent the disc from 3 buckling.

A bushing 21 is threaded in the opening of the j supporting bar 22 andincludes a sleeve-like portion 28 provided with openings 29 to permit aspanner-type wrenchlto be applied thereto for threading the bushing intoand out of the; opening of th 'bar 22. "The bushing 21 has threadedtherein a neck portion 30 of a sleeve 3|, the

latter being of an increased diameter over theneck portion. The sleeve3i is eigter nally screw; 3 threaded and has threaded thereon a stopsleeve 1 32, one end of which is notched, as shown' at 33, j to receivea spanner wrench for the' adjustmentof the stop sleeve on the sleeve 31.

sleeve 34 is arranged Within the sleeve 3| andv spaced from the majorportion thereof and is threaded into the neck 30 of the sleeve 3| and 1acts as a bearing for the slidable support of the stem 2l of th valveelement [9. Thefree end of the sleeve 34 is notched, as at 35, to permitthe application of a spanner wrench thereto. As the sleeve 34 forms abearingfor the stem 2l it An inner by the operator as well as thedistance it may 'move towards the seat under the influence of the springpermitting a very accurate adjustment of.

the valve to be had so as to efiiciently regulate the proper amount ofair to the blower of the 'stoker to-assure proper combustion of thefuel.

A dust cap 41 is arranged over the various sleeves and, valve stem andhas a frictional fit i is preferable that it be of the lubricatingtype,that is, treated with graphite or similar lubricant material so as ,toassure, free sliding movement 1 within the sleeve. 31. i has an end wall38 provided with a threaded openj ing to thread onto the stem and whichforms. a seat for, one end of a coil spring 39. The .coil 3 1 springreceives therein the'stemcand the sleeve 3 34and its opposite end isseated-on a flange on 1 the sleeve 34, which flange abuts the neck, of lthe sleeve 3 I The spring is of the expansion type of the stem ofthevalve under all conditions.

Theunattached end ofc the stem 2i is screw threaded, as shown at 36, tohavethreaded thereon a sleeve, 31 which is arranged to telescope One endof the sleeve 31 and acts to seat the valve elementon the valve seatlBand by adjusting-thesleevefil on the stem the tension ,of the spring maybe increased andjdecreased. as desired, Nuts 4.0 and 41 are threaded. onthestemwith the nut spaced stem.

The sleeve 3 2, as before stated, acts as a stop by being abutted by thenut lil for limiting the opening of the valve under the suction of the.

blower of the. stoker. By this arrangement it is possible to regulatethe amount of air the blower' will receive through the opening .11 inthe end plate I6 and consequently regulate the amount:

of air the stoker furnishes the burningifuelsr .A combined guide rod andindicator 43- is secured on the disc 20 and passes freely through anopening 44 in the supportingbar 22 and has threaded thereon a knurledstop 45 located between the disc 20 of the valve and the supporting bar22-for the purpose of providing a means of varying the closing of thevalve with relation to the seat. A scale 46 is provided on'the combinedguide rod'and indicator 43 and when read in" conjunction with th bar 22may indicate to the;

operator the distance the disc of the valve ele-' ment will be kept fromthe valve seat during non-' operation of the blower of the stoker. Themem ber 43 extending through the opening 44 besides performingthefunctions outlined also prevents the valve element from rotatingduring its movement towards and from the valve seat and con sequentlyobviates any possibility of 'the stem 45': from the end wall 38, of ,thesleeve 31-, the nut, 4| holding nut in adjusted position. on the.

with the flange 28 of the bushing 21 for the pur- "pos eof excludingdirt and other foreign matter from the mechanism confined 1 therein.

Referring to the modified form. of my invention it ls proposed to use inconjunction with the spring33 a magnetic means 48 for the seating of thevalve element. ,In this form of the invention the dust cap 49 isslightly modified from the ,dus t cap 4'| and has arranged in its closedend a permanent magnet 50 and coacting therewith is a member 5! subjectto attraction by the magnet and is threaded on the stem 36 in lieu ofthe nut 40., The attraction of the magnet 50 for themember 5 I will befora limited dis tance theretromand by the arrangement as described andshown in Figure '7 this magnetic action will take place after thevalvehas moved a limited distance towards a seated position so that a furthermovement of the valve element towards a seatedposition will be under theinfluence of the magnetic means, the spring 39 of .course acting toinitially move the valveelement towards a seated position.

The arrangement shown in Figure 7 permits:

the useofaweaker spring than the type of device shownin ;the other formof my invention and theoperation of the blower of the stokerdiscontinues. In small size valves used on small size stokers, thespring 739, may be eliminated and rely on, closing of the valve by themagnetic means. U e

In making the adjustments on the valve'for the purpose "of, limiting theunseating of the .valve element-from the seat it is. preferable to socare rye out this. adjustment that the valve. element when unseated toits'limit of adjustment will admit' approximately eighty per cent of theentire amount of air to the blower that canbe admitted under theconstruction of this invention and the stoker. of air is desired, one ofthe bolts l4 maybe removed and the other bolt released so that the endplate I6 andthe valve carried thereby may be swung laterally of thevalve casing and theree by admit the maximum amount of .air to theblower of the stoker. e e ..It is believedjthat. the, foregoingdescription, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully setforth the constructionand advantages of this inventionto those skilledin thev art. to

which such a device relates, soQthat further odetailed description willnot be required.

, Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In adevice fer the class described a valvei housing, an end walldetachably connected to one will assure of a positive seating of thevalve when If at any time the maximum amount end; of said housingandhaving an air inletiopen; ing; therein ,and a valve seat;1surroundingthe.

opening, atvalvie element including a stem and coacting with; said seatand movable away from the seat by suction in theahousingeautomatic meanscoacting with the stem for working in oppositiontothe suction and actingto move the valve element towards the seat, a supporting bar spanningthe air inlet opening and carried by the end wall, a bushing threaded insaid supporting bar and having the stem extending freely therethrough, abearing sleeve carried by said bushing and detachable therefrom andslidably supporting the stem, a second sleeve threaded on the stern andhousing one end of an expansion type coil spring interposed between saidbushing and the second-named sleeve and capable of having its tensionvaried by the adjustment of the second-named sleeve on the valve stemand adjustable means for limiting movement of the valve element towardopening and closing movements.

2. In a device of the class described, a valve housing having an airinlet opening therein, a supporting bar spanning the opening, a bushingthreaded in said supporting bar, a valve element to coact with the seatand movable away from said seat by suction in the housing and includinga stem freely received by said bushing, a bearing sleeve threaded insaid bushing and slidably supporting the stem, a second sleeve threadedon the stem and housing one end of an expansion spring interposedbetween the second sleeve and the bushing for urging the valve elementtowards the seat in opposition to the suction, lock nuts on the valvestem, and a stop sleeve adjustably mounted on the bushing and coactivewith one of the lock nuts in limiting the distance the valve element maymove away from the seat.

3. In a device of the class described, a valve housing having an airinlet opening therein, a supporting bar spanning the opening, a valveseat surrounding the opening, abushing threaded in said supporting bar,a valve element to coact with the seat and movable away from said seatby suction in the housing and including a stem freely received by saidbushing, a bearing sleeve threaded in said bushing and slidablysupporting the stem, a second sleeve threaded on the stem, an expansionspring interposed between the sec ond sleeve and the bushing for urgingthe valve element towards the seat in opposition to the suction, locknuts on the valve stem, a stop sleeve adjustably mounted on the bushingand coactive with one of the lock nuts in limiting the distance thevalve element may move away from the seat the stop sleeve beingtelescoped by the second sleeve.

4. In a device of the class described, a valve housing having an airinlet opening therein, a valve seat surrounding the opening, asupporting bar spanning the opening, a bushing threaded in saidsupporting bar, a valve element to coact with the seat and movable awayfrom said seat by suction in the housing and including a stem freelyreceived by said bushing, a bearing sleeve threaded in said bushing andslidably supporting the stem, a second sleeve threaded on the stem, anexpansion spring interposed between the second sleeve and the bushingfor urging the valve element towards the seat in opposition to thesuction, a stop member adjustably arranged on the valve stem, a stopsleeve adjustably mounted on the bushing and coactive with said stopmemposition indicator and an adjustable stop means for variably limitingthe distance of the movement of the valve element toward the seat. 5. Ina device of the class described, a valve housing having an air inletopening therein, a

valve seat surrounding the opening, a supporting bar spanning theopening, a bushing threaded in said supporting bar, a valve element tocoact with the seat and movable away from said seat by suction in thehousing and including a stem freely received by said bushing, a bearingsleeve threaded in said bushing and slidably supporting the stem, asecond sleeve threaded on the stem and housing one end of an expansionspring interposed between the second sleeve and the bushing for urgingthe valve element towards the seat in opposition to the suction, locknuts on the valve stem, a stop sleeve adjustably mounted on the bushingand coactive with one of the lock nuts in limiting the distance thevalve element may move away from the seat, means carried by the valveelement and coacting with the supporting member in preventing rotationof the valve element and providing a valve position bearing sleeve,second-named sleeve and stop' sleeve.

6. In a device of the class described, a valve housing having an airinlet opening therein, a valve seat surrounding the opening, asupporting bar spanning the opening, a bushing threaded in saidsupporting bar, a valve element to coact with the seat and movable awayfrom said seat by suction in the housing and including a stem freelyreceived by said bushing, a bearing sleeve threaded in said bushing andslidably supporting the stem, a second sleeve threaded on the stem andhousing one end of an expansion spring interposed between the secondsleeve and the bushing for urging the valve element towards the seat inopposition to the suction, lock nuts on the valve stem, a stop sleeveadjustably mounted on the bushing and coactive with one of the lock nutsin limiting the distance the valve element may move away from the seat,means carried by the valve element and coacting with the supportingmember in preventing rotation of the valve element and providing a valveposition indicator and an adjustable stop means for variably limitingthe distance of the movement of the valve element toward the seat, adust cap removably mounted on the bushing for encasing the major portionof the valve stem, bearing sleeve, second-named sleeve and stop sleeve,and a permanent magnet located in the dust cap for attracting one of thelock nuts thereto and thereby active to cooperate with the spring inmoving the valve element towards a seated position.

7. In a device of the class described, a valve housing having an airinlet opening therein, a valve seat within the housing and surroundingthe opening, a bar extending across the opening outwardly of the seat,an inwardly opening valve 2,262,681 which the graduated rod passes andan adjust-' able stopon the graduated rod between the valve member andthe'cro'ss bar and. adapted. to engagethe cross bar to limit movement ofthe- 5 valve member towarcithe seat.

MICHAEL HUBER.

